Pouring Fitment

ABSTRACT

A pouring fitment ( 10 ) for a container, the fitment comprising a body with a spout through which liquid product can be dispensed in which the spout has a mouth including one or more corners ( 33 ) and one or more sides ( 32 ) such that the fitment can be selectively orientated so that fluid flows over a corner or across a side whereby to provide alternative fluid flow characteristics.

The present invention relates generally to a fitment for a container andparticularly to a pouring fitment through which liquid product can bedispensed.

it is known to provide pouring fitments for containers which facilitatethe pouring of liquid product from the container. For example, spoutsand flow regulators are known and provided for products such as edibleoils. Existing pouring fitments permit dispensing of product with asingle flow characteristic. However, in many cases it would be anadvantage to be able to dispense product in different ways from the samefitment.

The present invention seeks to address the problems with known pouringfitments.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided apouring fitment for a container, the fitment comprising a body with aspout through which liquid product can dispensed, in which the spout hasa mouth including one or more corners and one or more sides such thatthe fitment can be selectively orientated so that fluid flows over acorner or across a side whereby to provide alternative fluid flowcharacteristics.

The present invention therefore provides a very simple way to achievedifferent fluid flow characteristics from the same pouring fitment andwithout the need to resort to complicated fluid flow regulators. Thismeans, for example, the a pouring fitment according to the presentinvention can be formed with no moving parts and may rely simply oncurves, contours and the like to achieve alternative flowcharacteristics.

The spout mouth may be generally polygonal. For example, triangular,square, pentagonal shapes and the like provide a plurality of cornersand a plurality of sides which can be presented as the fluid flow pathfor product simply by altering the orientation of the pouring fitment inuse.

The mouth may be generally square and accordingly have four pouringsides and four pouring corners.

The or each side may be at least partly curved. For example, in someembodiments the mouth is formed as a curved square in which both thesides and corners are curved.

The mouth may include a pouring lip. By terminating the mouth with a lipan anti-drip function can be provided and can assist with a smooth pour.

The body may comprise a flow regulator. By providing a flow regulatordownstream of the mouth any turbulent flow of product as it exits thecontainer can be minimised to enhance the flow characteristics.

The fitment may be provided in combination with an adapter which isattached or attachable to the body and receivable in a containeropening. The adapter may provide additional functionality includingconnecting the fitment firmly to the container and giving a good seal.In some embodiments the adapter is provided as a separate part which hisconnectable to the body; whereas in other embodiments the fitment isformed as a single piece which is receivable directly by a container andno adapter is provided.

The spout may be tapered. For example, the spout may taper inwardly awayfrom the mouth.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provideda fitment as described herein in combination with the closure. A closuremay be provided which is attachable to the fitment and or a container soas to close the fitment during storage and or transport. The closure maybe provided with tamper-evidence means to indicate if it has been openedat least once.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provideda container in combination with a fitment and/or an assembly asdescribed herein.

The present invention will now be more particularly described, by way ofexample, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pouring fitment formed according tothe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the fitment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the fitment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the fitment of FIG. 1 in combinationwith a container adapter;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the fitment assembly of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the assembly of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a section of the assembly of FIG. 4:

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the assembly of FIGS. 4 to 7 shownconnected to a container and shown in a first orientation;

FIG. 9 is a view of the assembly of FIG. 8 with the pouring fitmentshown in a second orientation;

FIG. 10 is a partial section of a pouring fitment assembly including aclosure formed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a section of a container neck shown with a fitment adapterforming part of the assembly of FIG. 10 shown connected;

FIG. 12 is a section of the adapter of FIG. 11 shown with a pouringfitment connected;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 10 shown fitted toa bottle;

FIG. 14 is a section of the assembly of FIG. 13 shown prior to firstopening;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the assembly of FIGS. 13 and 14 shownfollowing removal of the closure;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 15 followingreplacement of the closure;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a pouring fitment assembly including aclosure formed according to an alternative embodiment;

FIG. 18 is a section of the assembly of FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 17 followingremoval of the closure; and

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 19 followingreplacement of the closure.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 to 3 there is shown a pouring fitmentgenerally indicated 10 and comprising a generally tubular body 15 havinga connection portion 20 and a spout portion 25.

The connection portion 20 comprises a first cylindrical portion 21 whichdepends from one end of the spout 25 at an inward step 26, a secondcylindrical portion 22 which is coaxial with the first portion 21 butslightly smaller in diameter, and a third generally frustoconicalportion 23 which is joined to the portion 22 by a step 24.

The spout 25 is generally cylindrical but flared outwardly to form atrumpet-like shape which terminates in a mouth region 30 which has agenerally curved square outline as best shown in FIG. 3. The mouththerefore includes four curved corners 33 and four curved sides 32.

The mouth 30 includes a pouring lip 31.

At the interface between the portions 21 and 22 an internal flowregulating part 35 is provided as shown in FIG. 3. The part 35 comprisesa central hub 36 and three radial spokes 36 which extend from the hub 36to the sidewall of the portion 22.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 to 7 the fitment 10 of FIGS. 1 to 3 is shownconnected to an adapter 50.

The adapter 50 comprises a generally cylindrical collar with an internalskirt 51 and an external skirt 52 connected by a lateral joint piece 53.

One end of the outer skirt 52 is provided with a first flange 55 whichextends radially outwardly therefrom. The other end of the skirt 52 isprovided with a second, generally L-shape flange 57.

In use, the adapter 50 is push-fitted onto the fitment 10 so that itpasses over the step 24 and abuts under the spout 25 so that it isretained firmly between the spout step 26 and the step 24.

As described in more detail below the assembly of FIGS. 4 to 7 can bereceived in the bore of a container neck as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.Because of the generally curved square section of the spout 25 thefitment 10 can be positioned in two distinct orientations as shown inFIGS. 8 and 9. In FIG. 8 when fluid passes out of the container andthrough the fitment it flows over the corner 33 of the mouth so that athinner, precise fluid stream 34 a is produced. In contrast, in FIG. 9the fitment is orientated so that fluid flows across one of the sides 32of the mouth so that a stronger, wider fluid stream 34 b is produced.

Referring now to FIG. 10 there is shown a fitment assembly formedaccording to an alternative embodiment. The fitment is generally thesame as that described in relation to FIGS. 4 to 7 and comprises apouring fitment 110 and an adapter 150. Additionally, a closure 160 isprovided and fits over the fitment assembly and attaches to a containerneck.

As can also be seen in FIGS. 11 and 12, the adpater 150 fits into thebottle neck 170 so that the flange 155 rests on top of the rim 171. Inaddition, the skirt 152 fits tightly within the bore of the bottleneckand the flange 157 is bent upwards as the adapter 150 is pushed in toform a seal.

The closure 160 comprises a generally cylindrical top plate 161 fromwhich depends a cylindrical side skirt 162 and an internal skirt 163dimensioned to fit within the connector portion 121 to form a seal. Theinside of the skirt 162 is provided with internal screwthread formations164 for engaging cooperating external screwthread formations 172 on thebottleneck 170.

The free end of the skirt 162 is provided with a tamper-evident band 165which is connected to the skirt 162 by a plurality of frangible bridges166. The opposite end of the band 165 to the bridges 166 is providedwith an upturned flap 167 which in use engages under a bead 173 formedon the bottleneck.

In FIGS. 13 and 14 the closure 160 is shown connected to the bottleneckso that the fitment is sealed in position. When the closure 160 isunscrewed the band 165 is prevented from following the rest of theclosure by the engagement of the flap 167 under the bead 173 so that thebridges 166 break. The band 165 now falls down the neck of the bottle190 to the position shown in FIG. 15 and the closure 160 is removed toexpose the fitment ready for dispensing. When the closure is replaced agap G will now be present between the free end of the skirt 162 and theband 165 as shown in FIG. 16.

Referring now to FIGS. 17 to 20 a fitment assembly formed according toan alternative embodiment is shown. The assembly is largely the same asthat shown in FIGS. 10 to 16 in that it comprises a closure 260 whichcovers a pouring fitment 210 connected within a bottleneck 270 by anadapter 250.

In this embodiment, a tamper-evident structure is provided in the formof a separate piece 280 comprising a band section 282 and a retainingsection 284. The retaining section 284 is clipped into the free end ofthe skirt 262 and is frangibly connected to the band part 282 byfrangible bridges 283. The band part 282 is provided with a hook 285which engages under the bead 273 so that when the closure 260 is rotatedthe band 282 cannot move but the retaining part 284 can so that thebridges 283 break and the band falls down. The result is the same asthat described for the closure in FIGS. 15 and 16 in that in FIG. 19 theclosure is shown removed and the band has fallen down so that when theclosure is replaced there is a gap G formed between the free end of theclosure skirt and the band section as shown in FIG. 20.

1-14. (canceled)
 15. A pouring fitment for a container, the fitmentcomprising a body with a spout through which liquid product isdispensable, in which the spout has a mouth, the mouth being generallypolygonal and having a plurality of corners and a plurality of sides,said plurality of corners being curved and said plurality of sides beingcurved, such that the fitment is selectively orientatable so that fluidflows over a corner or across a side of the spout whereby to providealternative fluid flow characteristics.
 16. The pouring fitment asclaimed in claim 15, in which a shape of the mouth is selected from thegroup comprising: triangular; square; and pentagonal.
 17. The pouringfitment as claimed in claim 15, in which the mouth is generally square.18. The pouring fitment as claimed in claim 15, in which the mouth isformed as a curved square.
 19. The pouring fitment as claimed in claim15, in which the mouth includes a pouring lip.
 20. The pouring fitmentas claimed in claim 15, in which the body comprises a flow regulator.21. The pouring fitment as claimed in claim 15, further comprising anadapter attached or attachable to the body and receivable in a containeropening.
 22. The pouring fitment as claimed in claim 15, in which thespout is tapered.
 23. The pouring fitment as claimed in claim 22, inwhich the spout tapers inwardly away from the mouth.
 24. The pouringfitment as claimed in claim 15, in which the spout is generallycylindrical.
 25. The pouring fitment as claimed in claim 15, in whichthe spout is flared outwardly to form a trumpet-like shape.
 26. Thepouring fitment as claimed in claim 15, in which the fitment comprises agenerally tubular body having a connection portion and a spout portion.27. An assembly comprising a fitment as claimed in claim 15 incombination with a closure.
 28. The assembly of claim 27, in which theclosure includes tamper-evidence means to indicate if it has been openedat least once.
 29. A pouring fitment for a container, the fitmentcomprising a body having a spout through which flowable product isdispensable, in which the spout has a mouth, the mouth formed as acurved square including four sides and four corners, where each of saidsides is curved and each of said corners is curved, such that thefitment is selectively orientatable so that fluid flows over a corner oracross a side of the spout whereby to provide alternative fluid flowcharacteristics.